Acts 12:4

When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads ¹  of soldiers to guard him. Herod ²  planned ³  to bring him out for public trial ⁴  after the Passover.

Es 3:6,7,13; Pr 19:21; Pr 27:1; La 3:37; Mt 24:9; Mt 26:5; Mt 27:64-66; Lu 21:12; Lu 22:33; Joh 13:36-38; Joh 21:18; Ac 4:3; Ac 4:28; Ac 5:18; Ac 8:3; Ac 16:23,24

¹ sn Four squads of soldiers. Each squad was a detachment of four soldiers.

² tn Grk “guard him, planning to bring him out.” The Greek construction continues with a participle (βουλόμενος, boulomeno") and an infinitive (ἀναγαγεῖν, anagagein), but this creates an awkward and lengthy sentence in English. Thus a reference to Herod was introduced as subject and the participle translated as a finite verb (“Herod planned”).

³ tn Or “intended”; Grk “wanted.”

⁴ tn Grk “to bring him out to the people,” but in this context a public trial (with certain condemnation as the result) is doubtless what Herod planned. L&N 15.176 translates this phrase “planning to bring him up for a public trial after the Passover.”